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  1. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News ROME/PARIS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – European Union nations, including Italy and France, stepped up security measures Monday amid concerns that the Islamic State group, or ISIS, will extend its operations in Europe after claiming Friday’s attacks near Moscow that killed at least 137 people. Friday’s shootings at the Crocus City Hall have raised the alarm in Europe about the risk from Islamic extremists, mainly the Central Asian affiliate of ISIS, as the continent prepares for significant events such as the Paris Olympics and the European Championships in Germany. Italy followed France’s decision to increase its security alert posture to the highest level. In Italy, a national security council meeting Monday resulted in a decision to increase security around “Holy Week observances” in the heavily Catholic nation leading up to Easter this weekend. Security measures were also expected to increase around Vatican City, where Pope Francis will speak to thousands of pilgrims, including on Easter Sunday. Both surveillance and checks will be increased, “paying the most attention to the places of greatest aggregation and transit of people, as well as sensitive targets,” the Italian Interior Ministry said. In Germany, Europe’s largest economy, Interior Ministry spokesperson Cornelius Funke said the threat from Islamic extremists “remains acute,” but authorities’ risk assessment hasn’t changed so far as a result of the Moscow attack. It came while in Russia’s capital, four alleged gunmen, who appeared to have been beaten, were brought to a court, including one in a wheelchair. They were charged with committing an act of terrorism. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Ukraine was involved in the Moscow massacre, Russia’s worst terror attack in decades charges Kyiv vehemently denied and called “absurd”. The post Italy, France Raise Terror Alert After ISIS Claims Moscow Attacks (Worthy News Alert) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  2. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News NEW YORK/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The United Nations Security Council has, for the first time, adopted a resolution calling for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza as the United States shifted its position and abstained from voting. Monday’s U.N. Security Council resolution passed with 14 votes in favor. The U.S. abstained, allowing the resolution to pass. The chamber “broke into applause” after the vote, observers said. It comes amid mounting international pressure on Israel to halt its war against Hamas, despite the group’s attacks in Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people, and it is still keeping some 100 Israelis as hostages. Israel says the “worst atrocity against Jews” since the Holocaust, or Shoah, triggered its military operations in the Gaza Strip.? The Hamas-run health ministry claims more than 31,000 Palestinians were killed, but those figures have been difficult to verify independently. Israel says it has killed more than 13,000 Hamas fighters, figures not mentioned in the Hamas health ministry figures. It has also denied that it plays a role in alleged starvation, saying many humanitarian goods arriving in Gaza are either confiscated by Hamas or sold for high prices on markets. “LEGALLY BINDING” Yet it was unclear whether the U.N. resolution, which is “legally binding” and was put forth by the 10 non-permanent members of the Council, would lead to the demanded truce. It was reportedly negotiated intensely until the last minute. The U.S. asked for a change in the text that removed “permanent cease-fire” and replaced it with “lasting cease-fire,” according to diplomats familiar with the talks. Analysts said the language would leave room for Israel to defend itself and called for both sides to create conditions where the halt in fighting could be sustained. The resolution came as Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was set to arrive in Washington on Monday for several meetings with senior U.S. officials. Ties between Israel and U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration have been tense over what Washington views as the high civilian death toll in Gaza. President Biden, who faces pressure within his Democratic Party ahead of elections, also expressed “deep concerns” over a planned Israeli ground invasion of Rafah. More than one million Palestinians have taken shelter in the area in the southern Gaza Strip, but Israel has made clear it will give civilians time to escape. Several U.S. and other top officials have urged Israel to seek an alternative, but Israel’s government has made clear it is running out of options in its attempt to crush Hamas, which seeks the destruction of Israel. The post UN Security Council Passes Resolution Calling For An “Immediate Ceasefire” in Gaza (Worthy News Alert) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  3. by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Convinced that Jesus is the only answer to the decades-long crisis of illegal immigration on the United States’ southern border with Mexico, an evangelist leader of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) is hosting ‘Revival On The Border,’ a 3-day evangelistic and prayer event that will be held in Texas from March 27-29. NHCLC is the world’s largest group of Evangelical Hispanic and Latino congregations and has thousands of member churches. The organization’s Chief Operating Officer is evangelist Tony Suarez, who will be leading the Revival on the Border tent meetings in El Paso and McCallen. The southern border crisis is an enormous, complex issue involving national security and the need to defend the USA from powerful drug cartels and other dangerous criminal elements, as well as huge numbers of vulnerable people seeking refuge in America from brutal regimes such as that in Nicaragua. “The only answer to the issues plaguing our southern border is Jesus!,” Suarez’ ministry website reads. “Join us for one of these powerful preaching and healing crusades along our southern border as we minister in English and Spanish.” In a statement to CBN News about the upcoming meetings, Suarez attested: “The last time we had immigration reform, Ronald Reagan was the president and I was in kindergarten. But it’s an issue that every election cycle is used for campaign fodder. It doesn’t matter if it’s Republican or Democrat; they’ll use this issue, and then once they’re in office, they do absolutely nothing with the issue.” “What I’m contending for is that the answer to everything from border security to the human issue is Jesus Christ,” Suarez said. “And, if Washington won’t act, then the kingdom must act, and, so, that’s why we’re going to the border.” The post 3-Day Evangelistic Event On U.S. Southern Border: “Jesus Is The Only Answer” appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  4. By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – According to U.S. Customs and Border protection data, 9.4 million foreign nationals illegally entered the U.S. in fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023 and through the end of February 2024. Including another more than 2 million gotaways, reported by The Center Square, combined, they total an estimated 11.4 million, more than the population of 43 U.S. states. They also total more than the population of all individual U.S. cities, including the largest city of New York City, and are greater than the populations of roughly 150 countries. With February’s record 256,094 illegal border crossers, and more than 120,000 gotaways in the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the number of illegal border crossers in fiscal 2024 through February total more than 1.6 million, the highest in U.S. history. Record numbers came through in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 both at the northern and southwest borders, the highest of any quarter and per month in U.S. history. If fiscal 2024 numbers continue at the current trajectory, they will likely be the largest number on record, surpassing last year’s record. Last fiscal year, nearly 4 million, including gotaways, were reported to have illegally entered the U.S., The Center Square first reported. “Gotaways” is the official term used by Border Patrol agents to describe foreign nationals who intentionally illegally enter the U.S. between ports of entry and don’t return to Mexico or Canada. CBP doesn’t publicly report gotaway data. The Center Square first began reporting it to provide a more accurate picture of the number of illegal border crossers entering the U.S. every month under the current administration. Illegal border crossers (fiscal year 2021 through fiscal 2024 through the end of February 2024) total more than 19 Wyomings, 17.5 Vermonts, 15.5 Alaskas, 14 North Dakotas, 12 South Dakotas, and nearly 11 Delawares, President Joe Biden’s home state. Put another way, they total 29% of California’s entire population, nearly 37% of Texas’ population, and nearly half of Florida’s population, the country’s three most populous states. They total 58% of New York’s population, 88% of Pennsylvania’s population, 91% of Illinois’ population and nearly as much as Ohio’s population. They total more than the eighth most populous state of Georgia and the rest of the U.S. states and territories. The Center Square first reported on the number of illegal border crossers totaling more than the population of individual states. In June 2022, more than three million had illegally entered the U.S., totaling more than the individual populations of 23 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. By August 2022, that number had increased to total more than the population of 25 states and more than 100 countries and territories. Now, they total more than roughly 150 countries, outranking the 83rd most populous country of Jordan with 11.3 million people. They total more than the populations of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Sweden, Honduras, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Israel, Austria, Switzerland, Libya and Nicaragua. They also total more than double the populations of Finland, Norway, Lebanon, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Ireland, Panama and Kuwait. They more than triple the populations of Georgia, Uruguay, Jamiaca and Qatar. The numbers exponentially increased after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented policies to create a “legal pathway” for millions of foreign nationals who otherwise would be prohibited from entry. More than half of U.S. states sued over them, arguing they are illegal. The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security identified over a dozen parole policies Mayorkas created that it argues are illegal included as reasons for which he was impeached last month, The Center Square reported. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post More Than 11 million Have Illegally Entered U.S. Since Fiscal 2021 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  5. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russia saw massive expressions of grief Sunday as the official death toll of shootings at a concert hall near Moscow rose to at least 137. The wounded nation observed an official day of mourning with seas of flowers, tricolor flags waving at half-mast, television announcers wearing black, and entertainment and sports events canceled. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had ordered the mourning period, pledged to find all those responsible for Russia’s worst terror attack in decades. The Islamic State group, or ISIS, claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, but Putin has asserted that some on “the Ukrainian side” had prepared to spirit them across the border. Ukraine has repeatedly denied any role in the attack, which Putin also blamed on “international terrorism.” With some 11 people being detained and an investigation still ongoing, survivors were left grieving their loved ones. Flowers and children’s toys piled up near the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow, where four armed men burst in on Friday just before Soviet-era rock group Picnic was to perform its hit, Afraid of Nothing. POSTING FOOTAGE ISIS enthusiastically posted video footage of the massacre, with young children, teenagers, and women among the victims. The group had long been upset about Russia’s involvement in Syria, where its forces support authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad in his battle against ISIS. It also condemned what it views as Russia’s discrimination of Muslims. The United States said it had shared intelligence with Russia about a pending terror attack, but Putin reportedly rejected these suggestions as Western provocations. Yet Russian authorities did say this month they prevented a potential massacre by ISIS at a Moscow synagogue, even though the Kremlin earlier gave red-carpet treatment to delegates of Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by Israel and most of its allies. The Federal Security Bureau said at the time that ISIS fighters tried “to commit a terrorist act against one of the Jewish religious institutions in Moscow” but that they had been “neutralized.” However, three weeks later, ISIS was apparently still able to attack the concert hall, though Putin did not mention the group. The head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, reported to Putin that those detained early on Saturday concerning the concert hall shootings included the four gunmen. Russia’s interior ministry made clear that investigations were ongoing to identify their detained accomplices. The Russian interior ministry said the four gunmen were all “foreign citizens.” That did little to ease the pain of survivors and others mourning their loved ones. The post Russia Mourning Worst Terror Attack In Decades appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  6. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BRUSSELS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – European Union leaders have agreed to use proceeds from billions in frozen Russian assets to help wartorn Ukraine, despite Hungarian warnings Kyiv “will never win” against Russia. Yet Russian oligarchs and others near Russia’s President Vladimir Putin with frozen assets faced a week of possible more nightmares after the accord. The EU’s executive European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the first 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion) from the scheme could be disbursed as soon as July 1. The Commission has proposed transferring 90 percent of profits from the frozen Russian assets to an EU-run fund to finance arms for Ukraine. Another 10 percent would go to budget aid for Ukraine, such as recovery, reconstruction, and modernization efforts. Moscow called the deal “theft” and warned of grave consequences for banks involved in the scheme. The agreement came over the weekend after Hungary, which maintains close ties with the Kremlin, withdrew its opposition after it received assurances its share in assistance for Ukraine won’t be used for weapon deliveries, Worthy News learned. Ukraine’s government expects to receive 4.5 billion euros ($5 billion) in March and another 1.5 billion euros (nearly $1.7 billion) in April. UKRAINE FACILITY That money comes from the ‘Ukraine Facility’ set up by the EU to provide Ukraine with up to 50 billion euros ($54 billion) “in stable and predictable financial support” over the 2024-2027 period. A Belgian proposal to issue defense bonds to maximize the planned use of the nearly $3.3 billion expected profits generated by the frozen Russian assets was opposed by fiscal-conscious EU states such as Germany, Europe’s largest economy, and France, officials said. Talks on increasing support for Ukraine highlighted frustration within the EU about the U.S. Congress still upholding about $60 billion in aid for Ukraine amid Republican concerns. However, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the war in Ukraine would have “never broken out” if Donald J. Trump was re-elected as president of the United States in 2020. The minister, who hopes Trump will return to the White House, stressed that Ukraine “can never” win the battle “with the military superpower Russia.” In comments monitored by Worthy News, the minister said the focus should be on peace talks in part because Ukraine hosts 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, many of whom were drafted into Ukrainian. He recalled that several of them had been killed and injured on the battlefields of Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War Two. NUCLEAR POWER Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in separate remarks that his country also needs Russia to expand the country’s only nuclear power plant, for which Moscow provided a 10 billion euro ($10.9 billion) loan. With much at stake, Orbán was among the first European leaders to “congratulate” Russian President Vladimir Putin on his declared election victory with nearly 88 percent of the vote. Besides Ukraine, the EU also discussed expanding the European Union towards the Balkans by agreeing on membership talks with Bosnia. However, Brussels made clear the ethnically divided Balkan country, which is still recovering from a war in the 1990s, would have to undertake more reforms before talks could begin. “The European Council has just decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Charles Michel, the president of the council, posted on social platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “Congratulations!” he added. “Your place is in our European family.” The post EU To Use Frozen Assets For Wartorn Ukraine appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  7. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News PORTLAND, USA (Worthy News) – Scientists at a prominent American university are getting closer to “creating” human embryos without women enabling gay couples to have children of their own. The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland said they were making human embryos using the DNA of only two men. That raised “the possibility of men in same-sex relationships having children who are genetically related to both parents,” the OHSU added in comments seen by Worthy News on Monday. The OHSO said the process of “in vitro gametogenesis (IVG)” involves creating a fake egg using skin cells and fertilizing it with sperm. “Researchers at OHSU documented the technique, known as in vitro gametogenesis, or IVG, in a mouse model through preliminary steps that rely upon transferring the nucleus of a skin cell into a donated egg in which the nucleus has been removed,” the OHSU News service explained. “Using mice, the investigators coaxed the skin cell’s nucleus into reducing its chromosomes by half so that it could then be fertilized by a sperm cell to create a viable embryo.” The researchers claimed that besides meeting the let’s-have-children wishes of same-sex couples, “the technique could be used by women of advanced maternal age. Or those who are unable to produce viable eggs due to previous treatment for cancer or other causes.” DOLLY THE SHEEP The technique used is similar to what was done in 1996 to clone Dolly the sheep, according to experts. “This gives us a lot of insight,” said Paula Amato, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at OHSU School of Medicine. “But there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to understand how these chromosomes pair and how they faithfully divide to actually reproduce what happens in nature.” However, churches have expressed concerns about these developments. Even before the latest announcement, the Catholic Church, among others, expressed concerns about aspects of in vitro fertilization (IVF), a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro or “in glass.” The Catholic Church holds that this disassociation is contrary to the dignity of parents and children. It says that because conception through IVF is “brought about outside the bodies of the couple through actions of third parties,” such fertilization “entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists.” The Catholic Church added that “it establishes the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person.” While there have been different opinions about IVF, the latest developments were due to raise ethical concerns within churches that see a man and a woman as a crucial unit for a family and raising children. The post Gay Couples Soon To Have Children As Scientists Create Human Embryos appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  8. by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News)—A new report by the Pew Research Center shows that in 2021, the governments of almost all the world’s countries imposed restrictions on religion, including Christianity. The findings were published in Pew’s 14th annual report on countries that restrict the religious expression of some groups while granting benefits to others. According to the report published on March 5, “government restrictions on religion – laws, policies and actions by state officials that limit religious beliefs and practices – reached a new peak globally” in 2021. The report cited violations by governments across the world from Europe to Africa and the Middle East. “Religious groups faced harassment by governments in 183 countries in 2021, the largest number since the study began. Governments interfered in worship in 163 countries, down slightly from 164 in 2020 but still close to the all-time high,” Pew said in the report. “Fifty-five countries (28% of the total) had “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions in 2021, down slightly from 57 countries (29%), a level reached in 2020, 2019, and 2012,” Pew said. Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, practitioners of folk religions, and adherents of other small groups were harassed by more governments in 2021 than they had been in 2020, the report said. Muslims and Jews faced harassment from fewer governments in 2021 than they had in 2021, but still faced high levels of persecution. The report found that various governments at various times had inflicted not only property damage, including raids and evictions but also killings, physical violence, detention, and displacement of religious groups. The post Report: Almost Every Country In The World Imposed Restrictions On Religion In 2021 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  9. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KYIV/WARSAW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – A Russian missile has violated the air space of Poland amid one of the most intense Russian attacks on nearby Ukraine, prompting the NATO military alliance to prepare for an armed confrontation, U.S. and Polish officials confirmed Sunday. Later Sunday, Russia said it “scrambled” one of its Mig-31 fighter jets in response to what it says “is an approach” by two U.S. bombers over the Barents Sea. The American bombers turned away from the Russian border after the approach of the MiG-31, the Russian defense ministry added. However, unlike the Russian missile in Poland, the U.S. aircraft did not appear to have violated Russian airspace, Worthy News established. The armed forces operational command of Poland, a NATO member, said the Russian incursion occurred at 4:23 am local time by one of the cruise missiles launched by Russia against towns in western Ukraine. “The object entered Polish space near the town of Oserdow and stayed there for 39 seconds. During the entire flight, it was observed by military radar systems,” the armed forces explained Poland’s defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, warned the Russian missile would have been shot down had there been any indication that it was heading towards a target in Poland. MONITORING MISSILE He said Polish authorities monitored the missile on its way to Ukraine and were in contact with Ukrainian counterparts. The minister added that Polish and NATO F-16 fighter jets were activated in a strategic response. “As last night’s rocket attack on Ukraine was one of the most intense since the beginning of the Russian aggression, all the strategic procedures were launched on time, and the object was monitored until it left the Polish airspace,” he said. It came as neighboring Ukraine faced a barrage of Russian missiles, prompting more counter-attacks from Kyiv against Russian targets, including ships and related infrastructure. Russia launched a missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the region of Lviv early on Sunday, authorities said. On Sunday morning, Kyiv residents took shelter in metro stations as the attack began at 05:00 local time. Officials said their defenses had shot down 18 Russian missiles and 25 drones there with only “minor damage” reported. About 20 Russian missiles and seven drones targeted “critical infrastructure” in the western region of Lviv, although no damage was confirmed there. HITTING SHIPS Soon after, Ukraine said it hit two landing ships, which are used to land troops and equipment straight to shore without the need for a pier or dock. A communications center and other infrastructure used by Russia’s Black Sea fleet were also hit in the strikes around Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, Ukraine’s military said. An announcement by the Ukrainian general staff explained that the Yamal and Azov ships had been destroyed. There was no immediate independent confirmation. The Russian-installed authorities of the Crimean port of Sevastopol claimed that 10 Ukrainian missiles had been shot down. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed mayor of Sevastopol, said damage had been caused to residential buildings and transport infrastructure due to the “massive” attack. He asked residents not to publish information or any images. Britain’s Defence Secretary Grant Shapps praised the attack on the Russian ships, calling it a “historic moment for Ukraine.” SUPPORT CONTINUES He stressed that “In plain English, it means that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin can no longer exercise safely in the Black Sea, even though the Russian Fleet has operated there since 1783,” he stressed. The minister added that the world “cannot afford” for Ukraine. to lose this war and that Britain’s support for Kyiv against Russian assaults “will remain undimmed.” Elsewhere, a Russian missile strike hit a Ukrainian underground gas storage site. However, it would not affect the natural gas supply to Ukrainian consumers, Ukrainian state-run energy firm Naftogaz claimed. “All nominations of customers for storage and capacity booking services continue to be fulfilled in full,” Naftogaz’s CEO, Oleksiy Chernyshov, said in a statement. Yet the strikes underscored broader concerns about the ongoing war with countries such as NATO member Hungary calling for a ceasefire as hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and injured. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia began in February 2022 but encountered more resistance than Moscow anticipated. The post Russia Violates Polish Airspace As It Attacks Ukraine; Russian Ships Also Hit appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  10. Friend, what are your expectations? 1 Peter 5:8-10 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. The Jewish leaders of His time rejected Yeshua (Jesus) when He first came. He didn't meet their expectations. They were expecting a Messiah who would bring relief from the Romans, restore the Kingdom of David, and usher in an era of tranquility throughout the world. It is probable that their intense jealousy of Yeshua blinded them to the numerous passages in the Tenach (OT) which describe Messiah as a suffering servant, since they were certainly aware of those passages. The Scriptures present two pictures of Messiah, leaving bible interpreters with a dilemma to explain. Zechariah 9:9 portrays him riding a donkey into Jerusalem, lowly and humble; Daniel 7:13 refers to the Messiah as coming on the clouds of heaven. Some of the rabbis concluded there must be two Messiahs – Mashiach ben Yosef – the Suffering Servant, and Mashiach ben David – the conquering king, bringing judgment to the wicked, restoring the Temple and the Kingdom to Israel. The truth is, one Messiah, two advents. When Yeshua (Jesus) failed to fulfill the Jewish expectation of restoring the Kingdom of David, he was dismissed as Messiah. Their own lack of humility, their jealousy and self-centered pride caused them to miss what should have been obvious from the scriptures, that Messiah had to come first to identify with us, and then through suffering and death, break the power of sin, before he could restore the Davidic Kingdom. Is it possible for our expectations to be likewise colored or even contaminated by sin? We ought not to avoid the question. If our hearts are set in a self-centered expectation of victory that fails to apprehend the suffering to which WE too are called, we can make the same mistake the rabbis made, and end up rejecting the true Messiah. While it's true that our ultimate victory is assured, we can never forget that the journey to that victory is a narrow path fraught with all the dangers of real warfare, with deadly enemies. Friend, check your expectations...what are they based upon? Are there selfish or carnal motives in your expectations of God? If Yeshua said following him would be a narrow path with a cross on your back, then don't presume your victories until they have passed through the purifying fires of suffering. This is simply true fellowship with Him, and leads to the greatest glorious joys and triumphs. Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Dallas, TX) (Melbourne, Florida) Editor's Note: We posted 4new videos on YouTube -- Purim, Palm Sunday, New Year and New Beginnings | Is there a Great Harvest Coming? | The Simchat Torah War - Is this a Water Breaking Moment of Revival? | Eclipses, Red Heifers, Purim and a Move of God! Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out! Editor's Note: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information. Around the World Russia Violates Polish Airspace As It Attacks Ukraine; Russian Ships Also Hit A Russian missile has violated the air space of Poland amid one of the most intense Russian attacks on nearby Ukraine, prompting the NATO military alliance to prepare for an armed confrontation, U.S. and Polish officials confirmed Sunday. Putin Suggests Ukraine Involved In Moscow Shootings That Killed 133 People (Worthy News In-Depth) Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine was involved in Friday’s shootings at a major concert hall near Moscow that killed at least 133 people, despite the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claiming responsibility for the massacre. Israel, US Condemn Moscow Massacre As World Reacts Israel, the United States, along with the U.S.-led NATO military alliance and the European Union have condemned the terrorist attack in Russia that killed at least 133 people, including children. ‘Ukraine Behind Moscow Massacre’ Russia’s Putin Suggests (Worthy News Radio) Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine was involved in Friday's shootings at a major concert hall near Moscow that killed at least 115 people, despite the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claiming responsibility for the massacre. His comments came while people gathered at a makeshift memorial, with memories still fresh about the bloodshed that unfolded here. Islamic State Claims Moscow Massacre; Scores Killed, Many Injured In Concert Hall (Worthy News Alert) The Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on a major concert hall near Moscow that killed dozens of people and injured more than 100 others. Europe’s Top Court Forces Identity Fingerprints Despite Legal Worries (Worthy News In-Depth) Human rights activists have expressed concern about Europe’s highest court agreeing that Europeans can be forced to give their fingerprints for national identity documents (IDs). Russia Declares War Against Ukraine and Allies Russia declared Friday it is in “a state of war” against Ukraine and, indirectly, the West after calling its invasion of the country “a special military operation” for nearly two years. ’China To Invade Taiwan Within Three Years,’ Probably Earlier A top-ranking U.S. Navy officer in Asia warns that China may invade Taiwan within three years, though Beijing’s military threats suggested it could occur earlier. China, Russia Agree With Violent Houthis On Safe Passage In Red Sea Much of the world’s commerce appeared to be dependent on ships from Russia and China on Friday as Yemen-based Houthi rebels agreed to give them safe passage while attacking vessels of Israel’s allies, including the United States. ‘Strong Earthquake Shakes Indonesia’s East Java Province’ A strong earthquake shook Indonesia’s East Java province Friday, Christians in the area told Worthy News. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Netanyahu Tells Blinken, Israel Will Finish the Job With Or Without U.S. Support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel is ready to launch its military campaign in the Gaza city of Rafah to eliminate the last stronghold of Hamas with or without the support of the United States. Russia, China Veto US Ceasefire Resolution For Gaza Russia and China have vetoed a U.S. draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an "immediate and sustained ceasefire" in Gaza because it included "the release of all remaining hostages" held by Hamas. Inside the United States Biden Signs $1.2 Trillion Budget Bill Funding Government Through Fiscal Year President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion spending bill into law, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown despite missing a midnight deadline. Over 256,000 Illegal Border Crossers In February, Highest For The Month In History The number of illegal border crossers has increased significantly since Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented a range of policies he said were designed to reduce “irregular migration” and create a “legal pathway” for foreign nationals to come to the U.S. House Republicans’ Advantage Even Thinner With Gallagher Resignation Republicans’ advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives will be only 217-213 after April 19, following Friday’s decision by U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher to resign. Feds Apprehended Record Number Of Criminal Noncitizens In Fiscal 2023 Federal agents apprehended a record number of criminal noncitizens in fiscal 2023, according to several reports. Pig Kidney Successfully Transplanted Into Human For First Time There was hope for a 62-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease for an extended life on Friday after an American hospital successfully transplanted a pig kidney into the patient in the world’s first such operation.View the full article
  11. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MOSCOW/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine was involved in Friday’s shootings at a major concert hall near Moscow that killed at least 133 people, despite the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claiming responsibility for the massacre. Putin told the nation that Russia believes it apprehended all four men who staged the attack at the Crocus City Hall after they were heading towards Ukraine, where they would be received, charges Kyiv denied. Russian reports suggested the arrests happened in Bryansk, a region southwest of Moscow near the Russia-Ukraine border. In televised remarks, Putin claimed that on the Ukrainian side, they were preparing to receive the men. “They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border. A total of 11 people were detained,” he said as his nation plunged into mourning. Ukraine’s presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, made clear that the Russian account of events bore no relation to reality, saying the wanted men were moving towards “blocked border crossings where there is active fighting and where every meter is saturated with Russian security forces.” Putin’s comments came after the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, carried out the shootings at the Crocus City Hall, where thousands had gathered for a concert, the group said earlier. The U.S. had warned of an imminent terrorist attack, Worthy News reported earlier, but Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly did not take the intelligence seriously. DISMISSING WARNINGS Putin dismissed these warnings as a Western provocation, the Russian state-controlled news outlet TASS reported on March 19. “All of this resembles outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilize our society,” Putin reportedly said at a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) board meeting. The attack took place three days later. The White House said it had warned Russia earlier this month of plans for a potential attack in Moscow targeting “large gatherings.” U.S. officials said Friday that the United States “collected intelligence” in March that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow. American intelligence agencies have a “duty to warn” potential targets of dangers when they learn of them, though it wasn’t clear how much was shared with Moscow. The United States had warned Iran of a possible attack ahead of twin bombings in January that killed scores and wounded hundreds of others at a memorial service for Iran’s former top general, Qassim Suleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike four years before. As in Russia, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for that attack. On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned that its personnel were “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.” UKRAINE INVOLVED The statement, which did not say anything about the extremists’ affiliation, warned Americans that an attack could happen in the next 48 hours. John F. Kirby, a spokesman for President Joe Biden’s National Security Council, told reporters that the White House had “no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved.” Yet Dmitri Medvedev, a former Russian president who is now the deputy secretary of Russia’s national security council, was among the first to suggest late Friday that Ukraine had been involved in the attack. Medvedev vowed that Russia would retaliate against those behind the attack. “If it’s determined these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime, it will be impossible to treat them and those who inspire them any differently,” he said, adding that those responsible for the violence would “be found and mercilessly destroyed, like terrorists. This includes official figures of the state committing such an evil act.” Kyiv vehemently denied the accusations, saying Russia has in the past used violence at home as pivot points in its wars. The Ukrainian foreign ministry referred to explosions in apartment buildings in Russia in 1999 that set off the second of the two post-Soviet wars in Russia’s Chechnya region. A Russian security service defector later blamed his agency for planning the attacks to galvanize public support for renewed military action in Chechnya, something that Moscow vehemently denies. APARTMENT BOMBINGS Ukraine’s military intelligence agency and the presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, also referred in their statements to the apartment bombings as examples of the risk of Russia’s blaming Ukraine for the concert attack. Ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia accused Kyiv of blowing up the car of a leader of one of the Russian-controlled states in eastern Ukraine and of firing artillery at a chemical plant. Ukraine denied being involved in these attacks in either of those episodes. As the extent of Friday’s massacre became clear, Putin declared that Sunday, 24 March, would be a national day of mourning. Mourners already gathered in many public places across Russia and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, including at the location of the Crocus City Hall attack itself. People were seen bringing flowers and children’s toys to a makeshift memorial amid reports that children were among the many victims. Witnesses recalled that assailants used automatic firearms and threw explosives, creating a blaze that caused the roof of the concert hall to collapse, at least in part. It happened shortly before Russian progressive rock band Picnic was scheduled to perform a sold-out show for thousands at the venue on Friday, Russian officials said. The post Putin Suggests Ukraine Involved In Moscow Shootings That Killed 133 People (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  12. by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion spending bill into law, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown despite missing a midnight deadline. With Biden signing the bill, the government will be funded until September 30, 2024. This gives Congress and the White House slightly more than six months to reach an agreement on funding for the following fiscal year. “The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open, invests in the American people, and strengthens our economy and national security. This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” the White House said in a statement. Released in the early hours of Thursday morning, while most of America slept, the expansive “minibus” bill, encompassing over 1,000 pages and totaling $1.2 trillion, was swiftly passed through the House on Friday under the guidance of House Speaker Mike Johnson. The measure passed with a vote of 286 to 134; it surpassed the two-thirds supermajority required, utilizing a special procedure initiated by Johnson to overcome internal GOP disagreements. Later, in the early hours of Saturday, the Senate approved the spending bill with a 74-24 vote, paving the way for the legislation to be sent to the President’s desk. The legislation Biden signed on Saturday funds the Departments of Defense, Labor, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, State, and Education, as well as the legislative branch. The funding bill was passed shortly after the government entered a brief partial shutdown, which lasted just two hours before the bill was passed. Many Republicans were outraged by the omnibus bill, which included earmarks totaling millions of dollars for woke items, including transgender hormones and underwear. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said, “No Republican in good conscience can vote for the uniparty minibus. This is not a Republican bill. It is a Chuck Schumer, Democrat-controlled bill coming from the ‘Republican-controlled’ House. The Speaker of the House should not bring it to the floor.” She led a motion to oust the Speaker, stating on the steps of the Capitol, “I filed a motion to vacate after Speaker Johnson has betrayed our conference and broken our rules. I respect our conference; I paid all my dues to my conference; I’m a member in good standing, and I do not wish to inflict pain on our conference and to throw the House in chaos.” Nonetheless, the spending bill does not include funding for Ukraine and Taiwan. A separate aid package for both countries is currently stalled in Congress, with Republicans demanding tougher domestic border security measures as a condition for their support. During his Saturday address, President Biden urged Congress to continue working to secure additional funding for Kyiv and Taipei, emphasizing the importance of completing their legislative tasks. “I want to be clear: Congress’s work isn’t finished. The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests,” he stated. He further highlighted the necessity of a bipartisan approach to border security, “And Congress must pass the bipartisan border security agreement—the toughest and fairest reforms in decades—to ensure we have the policies and funding needed to secure the border.” “It’s time to get this done,” he concluded, calling for decisive action. However, House Speaker Johnson has emphasized the necessity for any border security proposals to align closely with the House’s flagship border bill, the Secure the Border Act—a measure Democrats have declared a non-starter. “Over the next two weeks, we will be in active discussions among members and leadership to roll out an aggressive plan to highlight the contrasts between the two parties on the catastrophe at the Southern border that is killing countless Americans,” Mr. Johnson stated. He expressed a call to action, saying, “We will introduce a series of meaningful bills to begin to fix the problem, and we welcome sensible Democrats in the House and Senate to join us,” Speaker Johnson stated. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently unveiled its long-term budget projection, indicating that public debt is expected to surge to 166 percent of the gross domestic product by 2054. This rising debt trajectory will likely hinder economic growth, elevate interest payments to international holders of U.S. debt, and pose considerable challenges to the nation’s fiscal and financial stability. The post Biden Signs $1.2 Trillion Budget Bill Funding Government Through Fiscal Year appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  13. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM/MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Israel, the United States, along with the U.S.-led NATO military alliance and the European Union have condemned the terrorist attack in Russia that killed at least 133 people, including children. “Saddened by tonight’s tragic events in Moscow. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and to all those affected,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on the social media platform X. While the U.S. has been outraged over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Washington also went out of its way to express condolences after the shootings at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, for which the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claimed responsibility. White House spokesperson John Kirby said, “The images are just horrible and just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the deadly attack and said Washington condemns “terrorism in all its forms.” “We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event,” Blinken said in published remarks. He spoke a day after gunmen opened fire on concertgoers and set fire to the venue in one of the deadliest attacks in Russia in decades. ISIS AFFILIATE An Afghanistan-based affiliate of ISIS, which has been active in Afghanistan and Iran, was linked to the assault. In a televised address to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack a “barbaric terrorist act” as he declared a national day of mourning on Sunday. He suggested that Ukraine played a role in the attack, charges denied by Kyiv. Besides the U.S., NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said the military alliance “unequivocally” condemns the attack. “Nothing can justify such heinous crimes. Our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” she said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Those words were echoed by the 27-nation European Union, which said it was “shocked and appalled” by the attack. “The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected,” an EU spokesperson added. The EU’s executive European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attack. In EU member state France, President Emmanuel Macron said he “strongly condemns the terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State” in a statement released by the Elysee Palace. “France expresses its solidarity with the victims, their loved ones, and all the Russian people,” it said. TERRIBLE IMAGES The foreign ministry said, “The images coming out of Moscow are terrible,” and added that “light must be shed on these odious acts.” Germany, the EU’s largest economy, shared those sentiments. “The images of the horrific attack on innocent people at Crocus City Hall near Moscow are horrific,” Germany’s foreign ministry said. “The background must be clarified quickly. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims.” “We condemn the terrible terrorist attack on innocent concertgoers in Moscow. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those injured,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned what she said was an “odious act of terrorism.” “The horror of the massacre of innocent civilians in Moscow is unacceptable,” Meloni said, expressing her “full solidarity with the affected people and the victims’ families.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, one of Europe’s most pro-Russia leaders, expressed his “deepest condolences” to the people of Russia for the “heinous terrorist attack.” “We pray for the families of the victims!” he wrote on X. Belgium, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden were among other EU nations expressing similar emotionally charged statements, along with Norway. SECURITY CONCERNS However, Poland, which has often condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, said through its Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz that Poland was “constantly monitoring the situation” amid security concerns. “I am in contact with the general staff of the Polish Army, all services, and our allies. We are analyzing this situation in terms of its possible impact on Poland’s security.” The Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X: “The terrorist attacks in Moscow are appalling – attacks directed at civilians can never be justified. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families”. The Palestinian Authority also condemned the attack and “affirmed its solidarity and support for the Russian leadership and the friendly people of Russia, emphasizing its keenness on stability in the friendly Russian Federation,” according to the official Wafa news agency. In Syria, where Russia has a strong military presence, the foreign ministry condemned “in the strongest terms, the cowardly terrorist attack … which comes after the great achievements gained by the friendly Russian people”, adding that “Syria stresses the need for intensifying global efforts in facing such massacres and bring their perpetrators to justice. Also in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates “expresses its strong denunciation of these criminal acts, and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism that aim to destabilize security and stability and are inconsistent with international law,” the foreign ministry said. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent condolences to Putin, the foreign ministry said. “The crown prince strongly condemned this criminal act and expressed deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the president, the families of the victims, and the people of the Russian Federation, wishing the injured speedy recovery.” In addition, Egypt “strongly condemns the shooting incident,” the foreign ministry said there. “The government and the people of Egypt express their sincere condolences and sympathies to the government and people of Russia in this painful tragedy and to the families of the victims, wishing them a speedy recovery to all the injured.” CHINA REACTS In China, which maintains close ties with Russia, President Xi Jinping sent his “condolences” to Putin too. Xi “stressed that China opposes all forms of terrorism, strongly condemns the terrorist attack and firmly supports the Russian government’s efforts to safeguard its national security and stability,” China’s state-run media said. Elsewhere in Asia, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. He added, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief.” Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “reaffirms its stance in rejecting terrorism and violent extremism in all forms and manifestations. “Malaysia continues to underscore the urgent need for a concerted international effort to eliminate the scourge of terrorism in a comprehensive and effective manner,” it said in a statement. And Japan’s foreign ministry said it “strongly” condemned the attack. “Japan extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and expresses its heartfelt sympathy to those who were injured.” At the United Nations, the U.N. Security Council said it condemned “in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack” at Crocus City Hall in Moscow’s northern suburb of Krasnogorsk. “The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.” ‘INTOLERABLE ATRACK’ U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is on a visit to Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, “firmly” condemned the attack on the concert hall. “We consider absolutely intolerable the attack that took place in Moscow, and we encourage all countries to cooperate with each other in order to make sure that ISIS [ISIL] will not have the capacity to strike anywhere else in the world,” he told reporters. The U.N. chief stressed that Islamic State is “a terrorist organization that is operating in several parts of the world and is a very serious threat to us all.” “[It] needs to be fought with determination, with a lot of international cooperation,” he stressed. Turkey, which had been trying to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, also expressed concern. “We strongly condemn this heinous terrorist attack targeting innocent civilians,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a public rally in the capital Ankara. “Terrorism is unacceptable no matter who it comes from or who the perpetrator is.” Erdogan explained that Turkey shared Russia’s pain, adding, “We’ll continue to fight against terror, the common enemy of humanity.” Britain’s Foreign Minister David Cameron agreed, saying the U.K. condemned “in the strongest terms the deadly terrorist attack.” “We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims.” Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel said, “Cuba condemns the atrocious terrorist act that occurred in Moscow. Our sincerest condolences to the government and people of Russia.” Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil stressed he wanted to “express our strongest condemnation of the armed attack that has been carried out against civilians today in Moscow in the exhibition center Crocus City Hall.” The minister added: We send out condolences to the families of the victims, and we stand in solidarity with the Russian government.” South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote on X: “We are deeply saddened, and we pay our condolences to the people of Russia following the tragic terror attack that killed so many people. I will be talking to President Putin to convey our condolences”. The post Israel, US Condemn Moscow Massacre As World Reacts appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  14. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MOSCOW/KYIV (Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine was involved in Friday’s shootings at a major concert hall near Moscow that killed at least 115 people, despite the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claiming responsibility for the massacre. His comments came while people gathered at a makeshift memorial, with memories still fresh about the bloodshed that unfolded here. https://www.worthynews.com/wordpressimages/2024/03/WorthyNewsRadioMarch23.mp3 Crowds ducked for cover as gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, video footage showed. People tried to flee. But many didn’t survive. Children, teenagers, and women were among the over 100 people who were killed. Many more were injured, Russian officials said. Hours later, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that wartorn Ukraine was involved in the massacre, charges vehemently denied by Kyiv. Putin told his nation that on the Ukrainian side, they “were preparing to receive” four men who staged the attack, adding that a “total of 11 people were detained.” The four men he spoke about were reportedly detained in a border area as they headed towards Ukraine. Kyiv was quick to say that the Russian account of events bore no relation to reality as the men approached “blocked border crossings where there is active fighting and where every meter is saturated with Russian security forces.” ISLAMIC STATE Putin’s accusations came despite the Islamic State group, or ISIS, claiming responsibility for Friday’s massacre. The United States said it had shared intelligence with Russia on an imminent terrorism attack. However, Russian state-run media reported as recently as March 19 that Putin dismissed these warnings as a Western provocation. The attack happened three days later. While Putin declared a day of mourning, people gathered in many public places across Russia and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, including at the location of the Crocus City Hall attack itself. Tearful Russians were seen bringing flowers and children’s toys to a makeshift memorial after learning that children were among the many victims. And with many questions still unanswered, the pain of the tragedy was just setting in. The post ‘Ukraine Behind Moscow Massacre’ Russia’s Putin Suggests (Worthy News Radio) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  15. By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – The number of illegal border crossers has increased significantly since Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented a range of policies he said were designed to reduce “irregular migration” and create a “legal pathway” for foreign nationals to come to the U.S. February of this year broke a record of 256,094 total illegal border crossings nationwide, the highest for the month in U.S. history. It also represents a 19% increase from nationwide encounters overall and a 38% increase in encounters at ports of entry from February 2023. Last month’s nationwide encounters are up from 213,911 in February 2023, 190,578 in February 2022 and 115,559 in 2021. February’s numbers also are an increase from January 2024’s nationwide record-breaking encounters of 242,521. This is after record numbers of illegal border crossers came through in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 both at the northern and southwest border, the highest for the quarter in U.S. history. U.S. Customs and Border Protection released February border-related data Friday, stating there were 189,922 illegal border crossers apprehended at the southwest border. This includes illegal entries between ports of entry and those using the CBP One app. This represents a 21% increase from February 2023’s southwest border encounters and a 7% increase from January 2024. The CBP One mobile app, which Congress is investigating, “remains a key component of DHS’s efforts to incentivize noncitizens to use lawful, safe, humane, and orderly pathways,” CBP said. “Generally, noncitizens who cross between the ports of entry or who present themselves at a port of entry without making a CBP One™ appointment are subject to the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule. This rule presumes asylum ineligibility for those who fail to use lawful processes, with certain exceptions,” which DHS encourages illegal foreign nationals to use. Noncitizens in central or northern Mexico “who lack documents sufficient for admission to the United States” are encouraged to use the app to schedule an appointment “and remain in place until presenting at a preferred port of entry for their appointment,” in order to reduce illegal entry between ports of entry, CBP says. In February, CBP processed more than 42,100 foreign nationals who used the app arriving at ports of entry. The appointments accounted for 86% of noncitizens processed at ports of entry, “demonstrating that noncitizens will follow an orderly process when one is available,” CBP said. Since the app scheduling function was launched in January 2023, through February 2024, more than 501,000 foreign nationals have scheduled appointments using the app to arrive at ports of entry. The majority using it who were processed into the country are Haitian, Mexican and Venezuelan, CBP says. With February’s numbers, fiscal year to date, 1,487,195 foreign nationals have illegally entered the U.S. excluding gotaways. “Gotaways” is the official term used by Border Patrol agents to describe foreign nationals who intentionally illegally enter the U.S. between ports of entry and don’t return to Mexico or Canada. CBP doesn’t publicly report gotaway data. The Center Square first began reporting it to provide a more accurate picture of the number of illegal border crossers entering the U.S. every month under the current administration. Gotaways don’t file asylum or other immigration-related claims but actively avoid being caught. They often run when they are pursued by Border Patrol agents or others in law enforcement, authorities told The Center Square. Many have criminal records; the majority are single, military age men. According to Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens, more than 120,000 known gotaways were reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. “The unknown is what is most concerning,” Owens said in a statement on social media. “Who? What? Why?” he asked, meaning Border Patrol agents have no idea who illegally entered, where they are, or what criminal intent they may have. Referring to how many gotaways illegally entered, Owens told Fox News, “It’s in the hundreds of thousands and those are the numbers that really for us keep us up at night. … Because if you know that all you need to do is turn yourself in to the Border Patrol and go through the process, what possible reason would you have for wanting to evade capture and put yourself in danger, to cross through the desert or be in a stash house or lock yourself in the back of a tractor trailer? Could it be that those are the folks that probably have criminal intent?” Including gotaways, the number of foreign nationals who have illegally entered the U.S. fiscal year to date is more than 1.6 million, the highest in U.S. history. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Over 256,000 Illegal Border Crossers In February, Highest For The Month In History appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  16. By Alan Wooten | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Republicans’ advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives will be only 217-213 after April 19, following Friday’s decision by U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher to resign. The resignation means no more than one Republican can cross the aisle on party-line votes. Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District representative, just 31 when he first won his seat in November 2016, had already said he would not seek a fifth term this election cycle. The timing is such that, by state law, his successor will come during the general election Nov. 5. That contest, in a strong Republican area, matches state Sen. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, and former Democratic state Sen. Roger Roth. In a statement, Gallagher said, “Four terms serving Northeast Wisconsin in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and strengthened my conviction that America is the greatest country in the history of the world.” Gallagher was a Marine intelligence officer from 2006-13, twice deployed to Iraq. Gallagher’s statement gave no specific reason to leave earlier than planned. He said he had consulted with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on the timing. Gallagher, 40, did not vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He has differences with former President Donald Trump and the base of support behind him. Pivotal in leadership for actions involving China, Gallagher is the chairman of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He is also chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation in the House. He’s a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Gallagher’s elections were landslides. His most recent was a 72.2%-15.8% win over independent Paul Boucher. In 2020, it was 64.2%-35.8% over Democrat Amanda Stuck; in 2018, 63.7%-36.3% over Democrat Beau Liegeois; and 2016, 62.7%-37.3% over Democrat Tom Nelson. He did his undergraduate work at Princeton and earned a master’s from both National Intelligence University and Georgetown. He earned his doctorate in government and international relations in 2015. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post House Republicans’ Advantage Even Thinner With Gallagher Resignation appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  17. By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – Federal agents apprehended a record number of criminal noncitizens in fiscal 2023, according to several reports. In fiscal 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended nearly 50,000 criminal noncitizens; Customs and Immigration Enforcement and Removal Operation (ERO) agents made 170,590 administrative arrests; and Homeland Security Investigations agents made over 33,000 criminal arrests nationwide. According to CBP data, Office of Field Operations agents at ports of entry arrested 20,166 noncitizens with criminal convictions or those who were wanted by law enforcement in fiscal 2023 nationwide. They also arrested 11,509 individuals who already committed crimes and were in the National Crime Information Center database. The NCIC database tracks crime-related information and is available to federal, state and local law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies. U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended 15,267 criminal noncitizens and 988 with outstanding wants or warrants in fiscal 2023 between ports of entry, according to the data. Fiscal year to date, the combined OFO and BP numbers total over 16,000, as of Feb. 14 when the data was last updated. CBP’s fiscal 2024 runs Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. By comparison, the combined total apprehensions of criminal noncitizens nationwide totaled more than 40,000 in fiscal 2022, more than 28,000 in fiscal 2021, and more than 18,600 in fiscal 2020. “Criminal noncitizens,” CBP explains, refers to non-U.S. citizens “who have been convicted of crime, whether in the United States or abroad, so long as the conviction is for conduct which is deemed criminal by the United States. Criminal noncitizens encountered at ports of entry are inadmissible, absent extenuating circumstances, and represent a subset of total OFO inadmissibles.” Inadmissibles are required under federal law to be processed for deportation. In September 2021, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented a new deportation policy stating that illegal entry itself was no longer a deportable offense despite federal law stating it is, The Center Square reported. Texas and Louisiana sued only to be told by the U.S. Supreme Court they didn’t have standing to sue. In ICE’s fiscal 2023 annual report, it claims ICE ERO agents “nearly doubled immigration enforcement arrests and increased removals for those with no legal basis to remain in the country from the totals cited in last year’s report.” It doesn’t mention that fewer deportations in the previous year have been attributed to injunctions put in place as the lawsuit made its way through the court system. Some have claimed the lawsuit resulted in less deportations. ICE ERO agents conducted 170,590 administrative arrests, including of 73,822 noncitizens with a criminal history in fiscal 2023, according to the report. Those arrested had an average of four charges and convictions per individual. These included more than 33,209 for assault, 7,520 for weapons offenses, 1,713 for homicide-related offenses, and 1,655 for kidnapping. ICE ERO agents also removed 3,406 known or suspected gang members, 139 known or suspected terrorists, seven human rights violators, and 108 foreign fugitives wanted by their governments for crimes including homicide, rape, terrorism and kidnapping. ICE ERO agents conducted 142,580 removals and 62,545 Title 42 expulsions to more than 170 countries worldwide in fiscal 2023. They also conducted over 200,000 additional transportation segments, including domestic transfers and Title 42 expulsions, “of 249,435 individual movements of noncitizens.” They assisted with transnational criminal organization smuggling interdiction, deploying more than 1,000 special agents on rotation to the southwest border and 300 to international locations last fiscal year. Their efforts resulted in 800 disruptions to illicit activity, apprehending 14,000 noncitizens, and making 1,900 criminal arrests, according to the report. HSI agents also conducted 33,108 criminal arrests last fiscal year. HSI agents targeting transnational criminal organizations made 231 arrests and executed 38 search warrants. TCO units, comprised of DHS-vetted foreign law enforcement officers partnering with HSI, made 2,973 criminal arrests in fiscal 2023, according to the report. The record high arrests of criminal noncitizens occurred as nearly 4 million foreign nationals illegally entered the U.S. in fiscal 2023, the highest number in U.S. history and greater than the populations of 22 individual states, The Center Square exclusively reported. The trend continued in 2024. In the first quarter of fiscal 2024, apprehensions at the southwest and northern borders were the highest in U.S. history, The Center Square also reported. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Feds Apprehended Record Number Of Criminal Noncitizens In Fiscal 2023 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  18. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on a major concert hall near Moscow that killed dozens of people and injured more than 100 others. An Islamic State branch said its fighters had stormed the Crocus City Hall on the fringes of Russia’s capital, killing at least 60 people, though the death toll was likely to rise. Witnesses recalled that assailants used automatic firearms and threw explosives, creating a blaze that caused the roof of the concert hall to collapse, at least in part. It happened shortly before Russian progressive rock band Picnic was scheduled to perform a sold-out show at the 9,500-seat venue on Friday, Russian officials said. Earlier this month, the U.S. embassy in Russia already issued an urgent warning of an “imminent” terrorist attack in Moscow, Worthy News learned. The warning came hours after ISIS was reportedly prevented from a planned massacre at a synagogue, but the group apparently reached the concert venue. U.S. officials said Friday that the United States “collected intelligence” in March that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow. STARTING FIRE The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said Friday that “unidentified people in camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the start of the concert.” State-run news outlet RIA Novosti reported that the gunmen “threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire.” Russian authorities said the government had dispatched medical personnel, including over 70 ambulances. Additionally, special operations teams and the National Guard rushed to the theater, which could be seen engulfed in flames in videos circulating online. The state-owned TASS news agency reported that emergency response units had rescued about 100 people from the building, with others still trapped. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on the messaging platform Telegram that he had canceled all cultural events in the city for the upcoming weekend. He stated that he was focused on aiding those injured in the attack. ‘TERRIBLE TRAGEDY’ “Today, a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City center,” Sobyanin said. “My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident.” Questions remained Friday about why the attack took place about two weeks after the United States embassy in Moscow warned against attending crowded public events because of the threat of terrorism, a notice followed by embassies of several other countries. Additionally, Moscow had recently been hosting another Islamist group, giving red-carpet treatment to Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. and others. “The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the embassy said in a March 7 statement. The warnings came as Russia’s Federal Security Bureau said “an ISIS cell” based in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, tried to shoot Jewish worshippers at a synagogue in the capital. “While being arrested, the terrorists put up armed resistance to the Russian FSB officers, and as a result, were neutralized by return fire,” the FSB told Russian media. “Firearms, ammunition, as well as components for the manufacture of an improvised explosive device were found and seized,” it added. ISIS FIGHTERS The FSB did not say how many people were killed in the operation at the time. It said the fighters were members of the Afghan branch of ISIS but did not state their citizenship. Russian authorities frequently announce the thwarting of planned attacks by “suspected Islamist” groups. It comes at a time when the Kremlin is eager to draw public attention to war from the horrors of battlefields in wartorn Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands have been killed and injured, many of them Russian soldiers. Earlier this month, the FSB said it killed six suspected ISIS fighters in the Muslim-majority southern region of Ingushetia. Tensions between Russia’s Muslim and Jewish communities have flared at times during the Israel-Hamas war, triggered by Hamas-led fighters killing some 1,200 people in Israel and taking 253 hostages to Gaza on October 7. Last October, protestors stormed an airport in Dagestan, another Muslim-majority region in the Caucasus, after a plane arrived from Tel Aviv, Israel. The post Islamic State Claims Moscow Massacre; Scores Killed, Many Injured In Concert Hall (Worthy News Alert) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  19. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News LUXEMBOURG CITY/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Human rights activists have expressed concern about Europe’s highest court agreeing that Europeans can be forced to give their fingerprints for national identity documents (IDs). The Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice (ECJ) upheld a previous ruling to have two fingerprints on identity cards after it was challenged at a court in Germany. However, the ECJ warned that the practice can only continue till December 2026 as the current legislation, which applies to all European Union member states, requires unanimity. The EU regulation on obliging fingerprints was adopted in 2019 despite the Czech Republic and Slovakia voting against it. Both nations still remember far-reaching government control when they were still part of Russian-occupied Czechoslovakia till the collapse of communism in 1989. “If [all EU] member states do not reach an agreement, the legal basis for the continued storage and mandatory new collection of fingerprints would no longer apply” after 2026, noted Anja Hoffmann, a digital economy expert at the Center for European Policy. The ruling came after a German court in the western city of Wiesbaden asked the ECJ to review the validity of the EU regulation calling for two fingerprints to be stored on an individual’s identity card. In 2021, Detlev Sieber, the managing director of rights group Digitalcourage, filed a lawsuit at the Administrative Court in Wiesbaden after he requested an identity card with an electronic function without submitting his fingerprints. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS Digitalcourage argued that the EU fingerprints requirement interferes with fundamental rights established in European law and could lead to identity theft. In January 2022, the Wiesbaden court followed Digitalcourage’s argument, referring the lawsuit to the ECJ. One month later, the Hamburg Administrative Court suspended the fingerprint requirement for ID cards, pending the proceedings before the ECJ. Before Thursday’s final ruling, the ECJ Advocate Genera Laila Medina declared last June that the compulsory fingerprinting on identity cards is valid, in what was seen as a preliminary decision for the final judgment. The judgment was welcome news for the German Ministry of Interior, which argued that fingerprints are safe and locally stored on a chip integrated into the ID card. However, Digitalcourage told the Euractiv news site that “a storage method that is still considered safe by authorities today can be easy to crack in just a few years.” Storing entire fingerprints “increases the risk of identity theft if a data leak occurs” and “contradicts” the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the group claimed. IDENTITY THEFT However, the ECJ said fingerprints on IDs were important in the prevention of identity theft and the interoperability of verification systems. The court ruled that the benefits of such a system made it compatible with “the right to respect for private life and the protection of personal data.” The court also said a facial image can be inefficient, as “a face can change due to illness, aging, lifestyle, and surgery.” Thursday’s ECJ ruling meant that, like in other EU member states, anyone in Germany must continue to register two fingerprints when applying for identity cards. The ruling has been in place since August 2022. Rights activists hope that the obligatory fingerprints will end after 2026 if no unanimity can be reached among all 27 EU member states. “This would mean that national authorities would have to issue ID cards without taking fingerprints, and ID card holders could request the deletion of fingerprints already stored on ID cards,” Hoffmann added. But for now, that remains wishful thinking. The post Europe’s Top Court Forces Identity Fingerprints Despite Legal Worries (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  20. by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel is ready to launch its military campaign in the Gaza city of Rafah to eliminate the last stronghold of Hamas with or without the support of the United States. Netanyahu made the announcement following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The White House has been pressing Israel to delay its planned invasion of Rafah due to concerns the city is inhabited by approximately one million displaced Palestinians, whom Hamas is utilizing as human shields. “I met with Secretary of State Blinken. I told him that I greatly appreciate the fact that for more than five months, we have been standing together in the war against Hamas. I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the combat zones and – of course – also see to the humanitarian needs, and we are working to this end,” Netanyahu stated. However, Netanyahu emphasized, “We have no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah and eliminating the remnant of the battalions there.” Netanyahu told Blinken, “I told him that I hope we would do this with US support but if necessary – we will do it alone.” According to Axios, Secretary of State Blinken warned Netanyahu and his war cabinet that Israel’s security and international standing are at risk, with a warning that “you might not realize it until it’s too late.” This marks Blinken’s eighth trip to Israel since the war began. Israeli media sources suggest that Blinken’s visit aims to narrow the differences between Israel and Hamas in ongoing ceasefire talks. One of the issues Blinken raised with Netanyahu was the permission for evacuees from northern Gaza to return, aligning with one of Hamas’ stipulations for a ceasefire. Next week, an Israeli delegation is scheduled to visit Washington D.C., and Blinken confirmed the meeting stating, “We’re looking forward to having Israeli officials in Washington next week to talk about a different way of achieving these objectives. Objectives that we share of defeating Hamas and ensuring Israel’s long-term security. It really requires an integrated humanitarian military and political plan. As I said, we’ll be talking about that next week.” It was unclear if Netanyahu would be traveling with the delegation. However, on Thursday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced his intention to invite Netanyahu to speak before Congress, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) indicated he would not stand in the way of the Israeli Prime Minister from addressing a joint session of Congress. The post Netanyahu Tells Blinken, Israel Will Finish the Job With Or Without U.S. Support appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  21. by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel is ready to launch its military campaign in the Gaza city of Rafah to eliminate the last stronghold of Hamas with or without the support of the United States. Netanyahu made the announcement following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The White House has been pressing Israel to delay its planned invasion of Rafah due to concerns the city is inhabited by approximately one million displaced Palestinians, whom Hamas is utilizing as human shields. “I met with Secretary of State Blinken. I told him that I greatly appreciate the fact that for more than five months, we have been standing together in the war against Hamas. I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the combat zones and – of course – also see to the humanitarian needs, and we are working to this end,” Netanyahu stated. However, Netanyahu emphasized, “We have no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah and eliminating the remnant of the battalions there.” Netanyahu told Blinken, “I told him that I hope we would do this with US support but if necessary – we will do it alone.” According to Axios, Secretary of State Blinken warned Netanyahu and his war cabinet that Israel’s security and international standing are at risk, with a warning that “you might not realize it until it’s too late.” This marks Blinken’s eighth trip to Israel since the war began. Israeli media sources suggest that Blinken’s visit aims to narrow the differences between Israel and Hamas in ongoing ceasefire talks. One of the issues Blinken raised with Netanyahu was the permission for evacuees from northern Gaza to return, aligning with one of Hamas’ stipulations for a ceasefire. Next week, an Israeli delegation is scheduled to visit Washington D.C., and Blinken confirmed the meeting stating, “We’re looking forward to having Israeli officials in Washington next week to talk about a different way of achieving these objectives. Objectives that we share of defeating Hamas and ensuring Israel’s long-term security. It really requires an integrated humanitarian military and political plan. As I said, we’ll be talking about that next week.” It was unclear if Netanyahu would be traveling with the delegation. However, on Thursday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced his intention to invite Netanyahu to speak before Congress, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) indicated he would not stand in the way of the Israeli Prime Minister from addressing a joint session of Congress. The post Netanyahu Tells Blinken, Israel Will Finish the Job With Or Without U.S. Support appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  22. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russia declared Friday it is in “a state of war” against Ukraine and, indirectly, the West after calling its invasion of the country “a special military operation” for nearly two years. “We are in a state of war. Yes, it started out as a special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “But as soon as this group was formed when the collective West became a participant in this on the side of Ukraine, it became a war for us,” Peskov added. Friday’s announcement marked a significant shift in language and was due to prepare people mentally for an armed conflict requiring more sacrifices from them. So far, even publicly using the word “war” about Ukraine could mean prosecution in Russia. Yet, with hundreds of thousands of Russian troops killed and injured, Moscow has been mobilizing more men while extending its arms industry. Peskov warned that Russia must fully “liberate” its “new regions” to ensure people’s safety there. He referred to the four Ukrainian areas that Moscow claimed to have annexed in 2022 but does not fully control. WAR COMMENTS The war comments came five days after authorities announced that Russia’s longtime President Vladimir Putin was “re-elected” for six more years. Friday’s rhetoric followed what Kyiv said was Russia’s largest air strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, killing and injuring several people. On Friday, Peskov suggested that Ukraine is preparing for an even more protracted standoff over Ukraine with the United States and its allies. Mark Galeotti, author of several books on Putin and Russia, said Peskov’s remarks sent a powerful signal to the Russian public. “That ‘internal mobilization’ is actually the key thing: the Kremlin’s demand that every Russian get into a wartime mindset,” Galeotti wrote on social media. “Realize there is now no middle ground between being a patriot and a traitor (as Putin defines these),” the author stressed. The post Russia Declares War Against Ukraine and Allies appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  23. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News NEW YORK/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Russia and China have vetoed a U.S. draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” in Gaza because it included “the release of all remaining hostages” held by Hamas. Eleven Council members voted for the resolution early Friday at the United Nations in New York. However, Russia, China, and Algeria voted against it, while Guyana abstained. As permanent Security Council members, the Russian and Chinese votes counted as vetoes. These countries demanded an “unconditional” ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas despite the Islamist group’s October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, triggering the war. They objected to linking the ceasefire to a hostage deal and condemnation of Hamas. This was the fourth time since the war began in October that the Security Council failed to agree on a resolution calling for a ceasefire. It meant a significant setback for the United States, which had been working for “weeks” on gaining support for its draft resolution, said sources familiar with the talks. DEMANDING SUPPORT The vetoes came after Moscow and Beijing agreed with Houthi rebels, who support Hamas, on safe passage of their vessels in the Red Sea. Houthis pledged not to attack Russia’s and China’s ships in the Red Sea in exchange for their support in international institutions, such as by blocking resolutions aimed at the Islamist group in the U.N. Security Council. The Houthis say they will only halt their missile and drone strikes on vessels linked to Israel and its allies if the Jewish nation halts attacks against Hamas in Gaza. Friday’s failure to agree on a ceasefire resolution in the Security Council also extended a five-month impasse in the international body over the Israel-Hamas war in which thousands were killed. The diplomatic wrangling in New York came as negotiators from Israel, Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. were trying to reach a hostage deal in Doha. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Bill Burns was due to join the talks on Friday, along with the Qatari prime minister and the intelligence chiefs of Israel and Egypt. Shortly before the U.N. Security Council convened, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet to express Washington’s concerns about the war. Blinken reportedly warned Netanyahu that Israel’s security and its place in the world are in peril due to Israel’s strategy in Gaza, and “you might not realize it until it’s too late.” The post Russia, China Veto US Ceasefire Resolution For Gaza appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  24. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News WASHINGTON/BEIJING/TAIPEI (Worthy News) – A top-ranking U.S. Navy officer in Asia warns that China may invade Taiwan within three years, though Beijing’s military threats suggested it could occur earlier. U.S. Admiral John Aquilino, head of Indo-Pacific Command, said “all indications” point to the Chinese military being ready for a potential invasion of Taiwan by 2027. While China’s leader Xi Jinping set that date for a possible military operation, there were indications Friday that preparations were underway, with scores of Chinese warplanes reported near the democratically ruled island. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed it detected at least 36 Chinese military aircraft in a 24-hour window till 06:00 am local time on Friday and monitored “six naval ships” operating around Taiwan. During the previous 24-hour period ending at 6:00 a.m. Thursday, the ministry said Beijing had sent in 32 aircraft. Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Aquilino said China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues an “aggressive military buildup” and modernization effort. “The PLA’s actions indicate their ability to meet Xi’s preferred timeline to unify Taiwan with mainland China by force if directed,” he stressed. AMERICAN PRESENCE U.S. and Taiwanese sources have said in recent days that American forces are on the ground in Taiwan, but it wasn’t clear whether that would be enough to deter China. Aquilino observed that China also possesses advanced modern systems, enabling it to exert significant control in the Pacific. “The People’s Liberation Army is fielding modern systems like hypersonic weapons and fifth-generation fighters,” he said. “They can project power well into the Pacific with a 340 ship navy that includes a new aircraft carrier and nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines.” China requested in February that the U.S. sever all official ties with Taiwan following Taiwanese elections that saw anti-China politicians take power. “China opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan authorities and rejects U.S. interference in Taiwan affairs in whatever form or under whatever pretext,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. The latest standoff has raised concerns about another imminent war impacting the world, with the U.S. and its allies already struggling to deal with other major hot spots, including the war in Ukraine and Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The post ’China To Invade Taiwan Within Three Years,’ Probably Earlier appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
  25. By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News SANAA/MOSCOW/HONG KONG (Worthy News) – Much of the world’s commerce appeared to be dependent on ships from Russia and China on Friday as Yemen-based Houthi rebels agreed to give them safe passage while attacking vessels of Israel’s allies, including the United States. Sources familiar with the talks said the Houthis ensured Moscow and Beijing that Russian and Chinese ships could “safely travel” through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which account for some 12 percent of global annually. However, in a development expected to worry Israel and the West, both Russia and China promised to provide some “political support” to the Shia group, which Iran has backed. While officials declined to elaborate, the support was expected to include backing them in international institutions, such as by blocking resolutions aimed at the Houthis in the United Nations Security Council. That was due to add to East-West tensions over Israel and other hotspots ranging from Ukraine to Taiwan, where officials say U.S. forces are permanently stationed. In January, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, but China and Russia abstained during that vote. Ahead of the latest agreement, Houthis traveled to Moscow for talks with Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The parties reportedly discussed ways “to pressure” Israel and the United States to end the war in Gaza. ISRAEL DEFENDS WAR Israel’s government says its war is in response to “Hamas terrorists” entering Israel on October 7 when they killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped some 253 men, women, and children. The Hamas-run health ministry claims more than 31,000 “Palestinians” have died, but those figures have been impossible to verify and do not mention the more than 13,000 Hamas fighters that Israel says it killed. Houthis, backed by Iran, have said they will continue attacking vessels linked to Israel and its allies as long as Israeli attacks against Hamas in the Gaza Strip continue. “The Houthis, an Islamist group, say they are targeting ships linked to Israel, the U.S., and the U.K. Yet they appear to have misidentified some vessels, and Russia and China may have wanted stronger assurances from the group,” commented the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper. A U.S.-led coalition has been trying to protect their vessels, but a Houthi missile attack still killed three seafarers on a Red Sea merchant ship this month, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. They were the first fatalities reported since the Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world’s busiest trade lanes. The attack set the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence ablaze around 50 nautical miles (92 kilometers) off the coast of Yemen’s port of Aden, several sources said. The post China, Russia Agree With Violent Houthis On Safe Passage In Red Sea appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article
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